Windrunner Posted September 14, 2011 Report Share Posted September 14, 2011 I always wondered why Alendi could sense the pulsings of the Well of Ascension. As an Allomancer who had his powers brought out only by the mists he should have been weaker then the Allomancers of the Final Empire. Yet only Vin with a Hemalurgic spike to give her increased bronze ability could sense the Well refilling in her day, while the regular Seekers couldn't. It just never added up for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darniil Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 Well, Kelsier was always impressed with how strong Vin's allomancy was, so apparently there's differences between strengths of abilities. There's nothing that says Alendi wasn't an unusually strong allomancer. (And for some reason, my mind is making me think that there was a reference somewhere to Alendi having earrings, so it's possible that Ruin could have given Alendi a Bronze spike in much the same way that he gave Vin one.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRioter Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 Alendi did have piercings, Brandon actually talked about them at some point, so yeah, they might have been spikes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralis00 Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 Alendi did have piercings, Brandon actually talked about them at some point, so yeah, they might have been spikes. Someone should ask Brandon when they get the chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcanist Lupus Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 Alendi did have piercings, Brandon actually talked about them at some point, so yeah, they might have been spikes. I think that any piercing eventually becomes hemalurgically charged, at least slightly. That's how TLR got corrupted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zas678 Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 I'll find it! Alendi's "Piercings of the Hero"? 1) This is part of the manipulation Ruin did during the classical era on Scadrial, before the coming of the Lord Ruler. Piercings, and Hemalurgy, were part of the world before the coming of Allomancy in its modern form. Then, they were seen as a means of communicating with deity--which, indeed, they were. Ruin manipulated this to make sure any Hero of Ages who came would be under his influence. The reference is included mostly to indicate that yes, Alendi was under Ruin's influence. He ignored Rashek, though. (At least, right up to the moment when everything went 'wrong' for Ruin, when Rashek killed his chosen Hero of Ages.) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silus - Shard of Flame Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 The question is how those piercings got a hemalurgic charge, that is, if they even needed to. This would make the idea of Sazed influencing Pathists through those earrings that much more plausible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBobs Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 I think that any piercing eventually becomes hemalurgically charged, at least slightly. That's how TLR got corrupted. Becoming charged over time would be against Ruin, wouldn't it? Also I think that the Lord Ruler created his spikes in the normal fashion, just by killing mistborn/mistings. 'Back in the day' Alendi may have had spikes that were made from the condemned(those that would have spikes used to execute them). Or maybe some minor quality from animals. Also, maybe Alendi wasn't that strong . . . but over time the Well would get louder and louder. Or the Well syncs up to the chosen one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darniil Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 @TheBobs: The Well getting louder as it approaches the time of its use makes sense. Vin with her earring couldn't hear the pulses in MB1, but she could, over time, in MB2. Same gear, same person, only other variable is time. The question is how those piercings got a hemalurgic charge, that is, if they even needed to. This would make the idea of Sazed influencing Pathists through those earrings that much more plausible. Somewhere, I seem to recall a comment that anyone with any type of metal piercing their body could be influenced by Ruin, regardless of whether or not the piercing was hemalurgic. (For some reason, that thought is connected with Zane in my mind.) If that's the case, then that would make it easier for Ruin to have manipulated people before the Final Empire regardless of how well- or not-well-known hemalurgy was, and it would also allow Harmony to "talk" to followers of the Path. I think that any piercing eventually becomes hemalurgically charged, at least slightly. That's how TLR got corrupted. Hemalurgic spikes are only made by killing a living being in a specific way. Doing so draws an ability out of the thing being killed and into the spike, and the spike, when inserted into another entity, grants that stolen power to the new entity. Now, could it be possible that there's a way to create a "blank" spike that would slowly drain an ability from someone? Maybe. We've been told that the Lord Ruler didn't have time to learn all the ins and outs of hemalurgy while he was holding the Well's power, so there might be something like that. I personally find it doubtful, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralis00 Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 -snip- (For some reason, that thought is connected with Zane in my mind.) -snip- Zane's spike was hemalurgically charged. That was why he had such powerful steel pushes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darniil Posted September 16, 2011 Report Share Posted September 16, 2011 Zane's spike was hemalurgically charged. That was why he had such powerful steel pushes. Not that. I mean, the thought "Anyone with any metal piercing their body can be influenced by Ruin" was somehow attached to the character of Zane, as if he may have said something along those lines, but not necessarily with those words. As if he somehow had some kind of lunatic savant insight into the inner workings of Ruin/hemalurgy. I'll make my way back through the second book at some point, so I'll find out if I'm imagining that or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zas678 Posted September 16, 2011 Report Share Posted September 16, 2011 That line's actually in the 3rd book. The only time we hear the name "Ruin" in the second book is at they very end after he's released. This is Spook's letter to Vin (intercepted by Marsh) " 'Vin,' " he read. " 'My mind is clouded. A part of mewonders what is real anymore. Yet, one thing seems to press on me again andagain. I must tell you something. I don't know if it will matter, but I mustsay it nonetheless." 'The thing we fight is real. I have seen it. It tried to destroy me,and it tried to destroy the people of Urteau. It got control of me through amethod I wasn't expecting. Metal. A little sliver of metal piercing my body.With that, it was able to twist my thoughts. It couldn't take complete controlof me, like you control the koloss, but it did something similar, I think.Perhaps the piece of metal wasn't big enough. I don't know. " 'Either way, it appeared to me, taking the form of Kelsier. It didthe same thing to the king here in Urteau. It is clever. It is subtle. " 'Be careful, Vin. Don't trust anyone pierced by metal! Even thesmallest bit can taint a man. " 'Spook.' " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darniil Posted September 16, 2011 Report Share Posted September 16, 2011 Why on earth did I have that associated with Zane? *shakes head* It still suggests the possibility that Ruin was influencing people long before Alendi (and Kwaan mentioned that he was certain that Alendi was being influenced, too). It also indicates, as we're talking about in the other thread, that it's possible for Harmony to "interact" with his followers. (Which brings up an interesting thought: Pathists are considered odd, because they worship something that asked not to be worshiped, but Harmony doesn't nudge his followers away, either. A change of opinion over time, perhaps?) Thanks for the quote, zas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zas678 Posted September 17, 2011 Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 No, I just think that rather than building temples, or making altars and being holy, Harmony would much rather have people out actually helping others. He wants people to help others. I think part of this comes from Sazed being a little uncomfortable about being worshiped, but I think more comes from Harmony looking at the religions and seeing how much the religion is sometimes built up instead of the people. The Steel Ministry is the perfect example. The religion there wasn't about helping the people, about seeing what good can be done. It's all about worshiping (and helping) The Lord Ruler and his church/government. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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